Wigan Athletic: Five things we learned from Charlton (a)

1 This lot never do it easy! No-one ever said being a Wigan Athletic fan was easy. And Wednesday night's visit of Fulham will again see Latics having to pull off final-day heroics to achieve their goals. But some of the greatest days in the club's history have come in similar circumstances...Sheffield United on Survival Sunday in 2007, Stoke City on Survival Sunday in 2011, even seeing off Reading to win promotion to the Premier League in 2005. And given everything that's happened, this one would possibly be the biggest cause for celebration of all...

2 So near, yet so far! Paul Cook acknowledged after the game that Latics were within four minutes of survival. Had the lads held on for a 2-1 win, the boss felt that - although mathematically not quite sure - it would have been job done. Having worked so hard to repel almost one-way traffic at one point, it was gut-wrenching to see the defence crack so short of the finishing line. It was a painful reminder of the dark days of the first half of the campaign, when it became an inevitability Latics would fail to hold on to a lead. So many points thrown away, which go some way towards explaining the current situation...along with...

3 Grounds for appeal! It seems incredible that, barely 48 hours before the final game of the season, both Latics and Sheffield Wednesday remain none-the-wiser as to whether they will be docked points, which will have a greater say in deciding their Championship fate than what happens on the pitch. The EFL have come in for a great deal of stick - as Rick Parry himself recognised: 'some fair, some unfair' - but surely, for the integrity of the competition, relegation (and promotion) must be decided on the field, rather than in the courtroom. They'll argue the Latics situation has only just been thrown on them. But the Wednesday case has been going on for months...with still no sign of a conclusion in time.

4 Ful of hope! For several weeks now, it looked as though Scott Parker's Fulham would be ideal opponents for the final day. Although a very capable side, and having been a permanent fixture in the promotion picture all season, the Cottagers looked as though their best bet would be through the play-offs - which might have meant a few players being rested against Latics. However, surprise defeats at the weekend for both West Brom and Brentford mean Fulham can sneak automatic promotion if all three results go their way on Wednesday. Depending on scores elsewhere during the 90 minutes, will that lead to them committing men forward and risking being caught at the other end? Or settling for the play-offs and allowing Latics to come on to them? It's an intriguing conundrum.

5 Fan-not fair! Under normal circumstances, it would be pretty close to a full house inside the DW on Wednesday, with the Wigan public able to give their side one more push towards survival - while thanking them for even keeping themselves in contention despite the incredible developments of the last three weeks. As it is, aside from more than 1,000 cut-outs, the players will have to make do with well wishes and positive thoughts from elsewhere. Whatever happens at the end of the 90 minutes - agony or ecstasy - the players do not deserve to troop off in virtual silence after everything they've been through. Hopefully we'll all be able to reconvene at the DW in a few short months - and bask in the glory of another season in the Championship...UP THE TICS!